1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to systems for providing heat dissipation and electrical shielding to integrated circuits.
2. Description of the Known Art
It is well known that integrated circuits emit significant amounts of heat. It is also known that these integrated circuits can only tolerate a certain amount of heat before failing to operate properly. This problem has become more pronounced as a number of transistors packaged within a given area of the integrated circuit continue to rise. To overcome this problem, numerous systems have been devised for removing heat from the integrated circuit. These systems include a variety of different heat exchangers, the most popular being a finned heat sink. More advanced cooling systems have combined finned heat sinks with electrical fans, liquid cooling systems and thermoelectric devices.
Another known problem is the amount of electromagnetic radiation emitted by the integrated circuit. The electromagnetic radiation emitted by one integrated circuit may affect the operation of other nearby integrated circuits. Although it is true that some integrated circuits emit relatively small amounts of electromagnetic radiation, other integrated circuits, such as class D amplifiers, emit significant amounts of electromagnetic radiation. One way of minimizing the effects of electromagnetic radiation is to place the integrated circuits responsible for emitting significant amounts of electromagnetic radiation at a safe distance from other electrical circuits, such that any radiation generated will have little to no effect. Other ways of minimizing the emission of electromagnetic radiation include the use of electrical shields. These shields, although effective, are relatively large compared to the size of the integrated circuit. This problem is exacerbated because many integrated circuits require the use of a heat sink, further increasing the area required to be shielded by the electrical shield.
D class amplifiers, such as those used in audio systems, are especially troublesome because they generate significant amounts of heat as well as significant amounts of electromagnetic radiation. D class amplifiers amplify an incoming audio signal and output the audio signal in an amplified form. By so doing, the amplified audio signal is capable of driving one or more audio speakers. Current home audio systems attach a heat sink to the D class amplifier. A large shield is also placed around the D class amplifier and the attached heat sink to minimize the emission of electromagnetic radiation. This solution, while acceptable in home audio systems, is difficult to implement in automobiles because of the relatively small area dedicated to audio electronics. Additionally, as automobile audio systems become more powerful, D class amplifiers emitting even more heat and more electromagnetic radiation must be implemented.